Bernie

Fishing has been tough this year again. Some local fishermen are picking up a few but certainly not the way it should be. Even perch are getting harder to catch. The cormorants may have something to do with that. I seen you a couple times in my travels but wasn't sure it was you.

Had a car on the hoist. It was sure moving around!

Who else felt the earthquake that just happened here?

There was a lot of stuff there Wayne. Picked up some odds and ends but restrained from buying more. There were a couple of other outboards I was interested in but a lightning storm complete with hail came over just as I finished the buy on the 18. Quickly loaded up my prize into the truck and headed home, satisfied. My dad will be happy more space won't be needed in the shed too.

I made the trek to New Liskeard this morning to the estate sale that Wayne had brought up here a couple weeks back. Among the many outboards and thousands of other items I came home with the nicest engine at the sale. A 1958 Johnson 18 HP in very good condition. Even the applique on the front of the hood is clear and not cracked. And a bonus I wasn't expecting until I seen it. It's an electric start. I'm as happy as a pig in ****. I'll check out the coils and replace the water pump this week and maybe change it over to a single line fuel tank. I can't wait to give it a try. Thank you again Wayne!

Not all 2 strokes do. Direct injected are actually cleaner than 4 strokes. Using quality oils that are designed to burn off more completely will also help in older engines. Jimmer it will not likely cause any damage. Just make sure it isn't leaking out water as it may cause a manifold to overheat. Still be a good idea to verify the problem and get it fixed.

It appears to be burned oil from exhaust. Unable to verify without seeing it but I would bet it's a base gasket. The engine needs to be separated from the intermediate housing in order to replace if that is what it is.

Trouble began at OMC long before the Ficht came along. The engineers at OMC were very talented people. Unfortunately there were many other issues at hand.

This subject always seems to stir controversy. I have a 175 that has been flawless over 6 or 7 summers of use. Actually we have had very few issues with Ficht or E-tec in our shop. General consensus among our mechanics is they are a very good engine. Fuel economy, lightweight and excellent power to weight ratio. I'm glad with the low water levels that mine isn't a four stroke this year.

Well done Jack ! Lots of patience required there.

Her dedication to do what she has accomplished is not easy. Well done! And good for you and Leah to raise a daughter with the will and determination to do it. Congratulations to you all.

The area around the gulls is treacherous for rocks. Most are not marked and the low water levels will make it even more so. Take your time and you will likely be fine but a mapping GPS would be useful. Keep in mind the water is over two feet low. But the biggest thing to watch out for in the area you are speaking of is a north or north-east wind. It can stir up some big waves. The shoreline faces north east across a large expanse of water. I have not fished much this year and cannot tell you how the fishing is at this time. Find shoals with steep drops where the rock meets the mud bottom at around 30 feet for pickerel. The shadfly hatch is pretty much over here so they probably will be back on the shoals. I do not fish for Musky but trolling around the shoals can be productive (so I have heard). Good luck fishing.

Just don't ask BP to do it for you.

Glad to see you caught some fish KF. A friend stopped by today and reported catching a lot of pickerel in the Callander Bay area. He was pretty excited about it. Still pretty quiet catching at the South Bay area.

Nice catch Blue ! It's making me hungry.

Probably not Gerritt, but if the weather is right I may go for the ride to say hello to everyone.

Starting to come out. But no great numbers at the South Bay yet.

I was in error about the cord, should have realized. Mine was 70 for a single cord but he cut it 18" and still was 4x8.

Ha. It wasn't all brought over in one trip. I run it across in the winter over the lake.

Whew, not too cheap Lew. Although down there it may be in line. Brought 2 cords of Maple to the cottage last winter, cut and split for $140. I had to pick it up but it was only a kilometer out of my way.

Seen that single filament bulb frustration happen a couple times. One that drove me crazy years ago was a perfect ground the the trailer tongue but I didn't notice it was a tilt trailer and the ground didn't make it through the pivot point to the mainframe.

Thank you Wayne. That would be much appreciated.

Let me know if you change your mind. I'm thinking of making the trip up. May find some other stuff that may be interesting too.

Are you going to be there Wayne? I'd like to find a late 50's Johnson 15 or 18 HP outboard with maroon and white colour.

Cliff, your advise given here has been spot on. The 3 carbs on the 70 take some time to disassemble, clean, adjust and reassemble with the linkages needing to be properly set. This takes some time and experience is necessary to do the job properly. While the head gasket appears to be a simple job , an experienced tech will also be able to spot other possible issues when the head is off such as cylinder scores, warped head, cracks etc. Also as has been mentioned is the requirement of a torque wrench, specifications and pattern. 4 hrs? I bet it takes at least that long to do the job properly. This is a fair estimate. No ripoff there. Some guys do have some mechanical skills that are not in the trade and are capable of doing some home repairs. In my shop we see evidence of botched repairs often. I can understand the reason why fellas try to save themselves a few bucks but often it just ends up costing more.